Virginia Tech Won The Battle, But Not The War

David Teel

November 30, 1990|By DAVID TEEL Staff Writer

Four days after the final gun, the Lane Stadium scoreboard still radiated the news: Virginia Tech 38, Virginia 13.

Athletic Director Dave Braine's edict to keep the scoreboard on until the lights burned out symbolizes the delirium with which Virginia Tech fans, coaches, administrators, players and students greeted their school's football stomping of Virginia last Saturday night in Blacksburg.

And why not? Virginia had spent three weeks atop the national polls, had defeated Tech three consecutive years and was Sugar Bowl-bound. The magnitude of Saturday's victory has prompted some Tech diehards, and even some impartial observers, to suggest that the Hokies may be primed to overtake the Cavaliers in program superiority.

Before investing in such premature analysis, you may want to ponder some facts.

* Top high school prospects want to attend colleges where they'll play on national television and in bowl games. After the Sugar Bowl, Virginia will have appeared on national television seven times in the past two seasons. Last Saturday's game, televised by ESPN, was Tech's first national telecast since 1984.

The Hokies have not competed in a bowl game since 1986. The Sugar Bowl marks the Cavaliers' third postseason appearance in four years.

For example, the Cavaliers play Navy, Kansas and VMI next season, Navy and either VMI or William and Mary the next. In 1991, the Hokies play, in succession, at South Carolina, at Oklahoma, at West Virginia and Florida State in allegedly neutral Orlando, Fla. In 1992, Tech plays at Clemson, at Penn State, at Louisville and at Florida State.

* While Virginia competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Virginia Tech football still is searching for a home. Braine is confident the Hokies will be part of an expanded Big East football conference that also will include Miami, Syracuse, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Temple and West Virginia. But until the league becomes a reality, Tech's exposure problems will persist.

* The Hokies' NCAA probationary period is over, but the full effects of sanctions have yet to be felt. Tech was permitted only 85 football scholarships, 10 below the NCAA maximum, in 1988 and '89.

Hence, Coach Frank Beamer and his staff were forced to sign far below the NCAA-maximum 25 players for two years. Those small recruiting classes will affect depth in future seasons.

This is not meant to degrade Tech's victory last Saturday or minimize the fabulous job Beamer has done since taking over a program rocked by NCAA sanctions and former coach Bill Dooley's threatened breach-of-contract lawsuit.

Virginia had legitimate chances to avoid its losses to Georgia Tech and Maryland. It had no such chance against Tech. As former Cavaliers' linebacker Ray Savage was fond of saying, "A butt-whippin' is a butt-whippin'."

In Beamer's first two seasons at Tech, 1987 and '88, whippings were the norm as the Hokies won five games and lost 17. But Tech now has consecutive winning seasons of 6-4-1 and 6-5 and its first victory over Virginia since 1986.

In their final four games of 1990, the Hokies defeated three bowl-bound teams and lost to No. 2 Georgia Tech on a last-second field goal. Indeed, the Hokies have every right to feel good about themselves.

Despite the NCAA sanctions, Beamer, by all accounts, has recruited exceptionally well. Beamer also has been a class act. He's hasn't bemoaned the stacked deck he was dealt. He's only worked hard and been cordial to just about everyone with whom he's had contact.

A top-notch coach who beats Virginia by 25 points. Virginia Tech football fans couldn't ask for more. They just have to remember, the Hokies won a battle last Saturday, not a war.